The Gift
by toremainanonymous06
Summary: Richard Castle has Santa leave Detective Kate Beckett a special Christmas gift.  Short chapters for a quick read.
1. Chapter 1

"Yeah, Castle, I'll go," she said with a smile appearing in her voice before it appeared on her face.

Leaning back in her desk chair with hands clasped on the back of her head, she watched as Rick Castle erupted in a double punch to the air. His elation seen not only through his actions, but also the twinkle in his clear blue eyes.

"You will not regret it," rushed excitedly from his mouth as he swiftly pulled his jacket from the back of the chair next to her desk—his chair—and folded it over his arm.

Still smiling, Detective Kate Beckett leaned forward, a slight creak escaping from her chair. Her forearms resting on her thighs, her curls fell to frame her face. Pure excitement radiated from her being. He could see this, even if she didn't want him to.

"No mistletoe," the detective directed with a surprising change of expression. Her eyes now reading a mixture of seriousness and fear.

"Ah, but, Detective, it's tradition," quipped Castle with the whine of a young child and the facial expression to match.

"Castle."

Her authoritative tone scolded him back to his senses.

"Fine. _I _won't hang any mistletoe. I promise."

Putting a slight emphasis on the "I" created a loophole for him. He may've promised, but his mother and daughter hadn't. If Beckett noticed this, she didn't let on.

A comfortable silence sat between them for a brief moment. Castle began slightly bouncing his weight between his feet, his excitement getting the best of him.

"Tonight, then," stated Beckett coolly as a slight smile graced her lips.

"Tonight," he stated with a matching smile.

Castle turned around and walked to the elevator, beaming with anticipation, as he left the detective—his detective—sitting with a silent smile at her desk. 

* * *

><p><em>Disclaimer:<em> All of the characters are property of ABC's Castle. I only hope I've been able to stick as true to their creator's intents as possible. Also, please excuse me: this is the first non-academic anything I've written in years.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few hours drifted by slowly for Detective Kate Beckett. She yearned for the comfort of the adrenaline rush that accompanied a dead body, not the monotony of the paperwork that followed. Holidays brought a twinge of sadness with them. The adrenaline reprieved her of that sadness, if only temporarily.

The shrill ring of her cell phone caused her to jump as she sat staring at her computer monitor rereading her notes to make sure she hadn't mistyped any information.

"Beckett," she answered with regained composure.

A strange look spread across the detective's face as she listened. From the other end of the phone came the slight jingling of bells and a gruff—yet friendly—"HO HO HO".

"Castle!," she both scolded and questioned. She pulled the phone away from her ear to check the caller I.D. It read "Santa", accompanied with a photograph of a jolly white-bearded man in a red suit.

"No, this is Santa," replied the voice. "But, if you're referring to a Mister Richard Castle, I'll have you know he is on the top of my 'Nice List' this year," continued the voice with an amused tone.

"Look, _Santa_, I have work to do and if you don't let me get back to it, you can tell your buddy Mister Castle that tonight won't happen." Her tone was edgy, yet still kind. She didn't want to begrudge whomever Castle had roped into calling her, but she wanted to get her message across.

"Alright, Katie, I understand," replied the voice gently.

"Thank you." Beckett's tone mirrored his.

"Oh, and Katie? I left you a package. You should be thankful your friend believes enough for the both of you."

Before she could respond, the line clicked off.


	3. Chapter 3

Detective Kate Beckett's furrowed brow paired with her pursed lips marked her face of confusion and displeasure, which, though accurate, was not entirely true. Hidden behind her expression was a slight feeling of warmth and excitement. Nobody needed to know that. Luckily for Beckett, no one was around to witness that or to ask who had called. They wouldn't believe her if she told them.

Her phone sat in front of her. She had let it fall black as she stared at it, as if staring would bring clarity to the call. She knew Castle was behind it, but how did he manage to program Santa's name, number, and photo into her contacts without her noticing he had her phone?

She shook her head as she snapped back to reality. Paperwork. Oh, and coffee. Definitely coffee.

Beckett stood up from her desk, grabbed her coffee mug, and pushed her chair under her desk with her hip.


	4. Chapter 4

Richard Castle smiled to himself as he looked around his loft. It was perfect. He had spent the day with his mother and daughter making sure each Christmas decoration was in the most perfect spot. The amount of time he'd spent with Alexis cutting out paper snowflakes drove Martha mad; no two snowflakes could be the same.

He knew Beckett would appreciate it, even if she didn't know it yet. He'd even left the mistletoe packed away in a box as she requested, not wanting to push her too far. A phone call from Santa was one thing, but mistletoe was toeing the line.

Castle felt a vibration coming from his back pocket. His eyes lit up as he pulled out his phone, but fell as he realized the message wasn't from her. Damn Twitter notifications. He should be hearing from her any moment. His Santa had delivered his message, and this was the time of day she usually needed a refill on her coffee.


	5. Chapter 5

Bringing her warm mug to her lips with both hands, Detective Kate Beckett let the steam of the coffee caress her face as she pulled her chair from the desk with her foot. In one fluid motion, she lowered herself into the chair, taking a sip of her coffee. An unexpected crinkle interrupted her descent. Jostling her coffee, she abruptly stood back up and peered into her seat.

A large box–impeccably wrapped in gold paper and a large red bow—stared back from her chair.

Beckett bit the inside of her lip as her eyes darted around the room. No one was around, and she had only been in the break room long enough to refill her coffee.

She sat her mug down on her desk and folded her arms across her chest. Once more, Beckett surveyed the room before gently snatching the box from her seat. On top, she saw a tag made from folded gift-wrap.

_To: Katie. From: Santa._

Of course.

Excitement welled up inside Beckett. Her eyes were glowing with anticipation and a small smile spread across her face. She may not believe in Santa, but, surprisingly, the idea of receiving a gift from him brought her childish delight, even if she knew the gift really was from Castle.

She sat down in her chair holding the box carefully in her lap. She wasn't sure where to start. As a child, she ravaged the wrapping to get to the gift, but, as she grew older, she learned to slow down—to run her fingers under the edges of the paper—and cherish the experience of uncovering the gift. Both methods crossed her mind.

She started with the bow.


	6. Chapter 6

After the last vibration from his phone not being from Beckett, Richard Castle was hesitant to react when his phone vibrated again. His face was still fallen from that episode mere minutes ago. He didn't want to be disappointed again.

He slowly placed his warm coffee onto the cool granite island he'd been leaning against. A striped candy cane poked out of the mug. Alexis had put it there in an effort to return Christmas cheer to his face. Her effort had made Castle smile, but he was still anxiously waiting to hear anything from his detective.

With a deep breath, he pulled his phone from his pocket. A smile lit up his face as he saw her name in the message alert.

_Castle, what is THIS?_


	7. Chapter 7

Detective Kate Beckett smiled to herself as she gazed into the gift box in her lap, the tissue paper strewn about her desk. Her phone vibrated under the paper.

She laughed quietly at his response.

_For tonight. HO HO HO._

Beckett cleared the tissue paper from her desk and placed the gift box on the chair—Castle's chair—next to her. She had about a half hour's worth of paperwork to do before she could leave. Oh, and to finish her coffee, which was beginning to cool after the distraction of the mysterious package.


	8. Chapter 8

Richard Castle knew Beckett would be finished with her paperwork by now. He'd spent enough time at the precinct watching her that he probably knew her routine better than she did. He did have a knack for detail, after all. He knew that right about _now_ she would be returning from her desk after rinsing her mug in the break room. He knew that her loose curls would fall forward as she bent slightly over to tuck her favorite pen into her drawer where it would be less likely to be taken. He knew that right about _now_ she would be pulling her coat from the back of her chair and wiggling her arms through the sleeves. He knew the direction she pushed the buttons through the buttonholes. He knew that right about _now_ she would be stepping onto the elevator with her package from Santa in hand.

He knew she'd be alone in the elevator. That's why he decided to send her one last message.

_Don't forget your pajamas._


	9. Chapter 9

"You _actually_ wore it!" greeted Richard Castle as he opened his door to Beckett, a slightly embarrassed smirk on her face.

"Well," she hesitated. Words escaped Kate Beckett as she struggled to explain herself. She wasn't about to tell Castle the truth: that she was utterly delighted he was trying to bring such fun and happiness to her life. No, that would give too much away.

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled down at her. His smile was contagious. She couldn't help but give him a genuine smile in return.

"Castle, are you going to let me in?"

They had been standing in the doorway. His hand still on the door, holding it open just enough so his body inhabited the space between the door and the frame. She couldn't walk through until he moved.

"Yes," he stumbled, "your ensemble distracted me". He motioned up and down her body as he said this.

Beckett stood in the doorway in black leggings and a white long-sleeved V-neck. This wouldn't have been as eye-catching had she not topped off her outfit with bright red socks—spotted with triangular Christmas trees—pulled up over her leggings and stuffed into tan moccasin slippers and an oversized red sweater vest decked out with embroidered nutcrackers and colorful Christmas lights. The vest: Santa's gift. Beckett was thankful the lights on the vest didn't actually turn on.


	10. Chapter 10

As Detective Kate Beckett stepped through Castle's doorway, she felt her body swell with childlike excitement. Her eyes grew wide and sparkled as she looked around the loft. Castle watched her adoringly.

Paper snowflakes floated below the ceiling and covered the windows. White Christmas lights were wrapped around the room's columns. A large, picturesque Christmas tree stood in the corner near the piano, packages piled underneath. All the room's surfaces were bedazzled by one object or another positioned perfectly to catch the light and sparkle beautifully. The projector was set up, and a pile of warm-looking blankets and pillows were in front of it.

"Wow," breathed Beckett, eyes still wide and sparkling.

The room truly was breathtaking, even Castle had to agree with that. He'd made sure of it. He'd wanted it perfect for her. She hadn't noticed yet—but she would soon—that each snowflake was different, that each object he set out reminded him of her. Maybe she wouldn't notice the last part. It could be his heart's little secret.

It was Beckett's turn to watch Castle as he looked around the room. His face was etched with love; his eyes reflecting the room's light perfectly.

"Castle, it's beautiful." The words flowed softly and gently from her lips.

He was no longer focusing on the room. His focus was only on her.


	11. Chapter 11

Alexis Castle pulled the door to her bedroom shut with a quiet click before bounding toward the staircase. She'd heard the glee in her father's voice a moment ago, so she knew Beckett must've arrived.

She stopped at the top of the stairs to take in the scene below. Beckett was wearing the sweater vest her father had picked out. It was obnoxious, but that was the point—wasn't it?—to wear crazy Christmas attire, curl up in cozy blankets, and watch her favorite Christmas movie. This night had always been one of Alexis' favorites. Her father had always made the night so warm and magical for her.

Her father's eyes were focused on Beckett's face. She could see he was mesmerized by the amazement radiating from the detective. Alexis could feel Beckett's awe and her father's excitement floating through the air. It was contagious. She could no longer wait to descend down the stairs toward the wintery wonderland she had helped her father create earlier that day.

The little noise Alexis made as she walked down the stairs alerted Beckett and Castle to her presence. Alexis could almost see the exact moment when both snapped back to the present, no longer lost in the magic of the room.

As she reached the bottom step, her father and the detective turned to her with genuine smiles on their faces. Her father's hand, she noticed, rested at the small of Beckett's back as he guided her in the turn. He was wearing his Grinch pajama bottoms with a grey crewneck sweater. He looked like an overgrown child.

"Look at you!" exclaimed her father.

Alexis had opted out of the snowflake printed flannel pajama set she'd worn the year before and had, instead, chosen to wear dark grey leggings with an oversized nightshirt with "I [heart] Snow Days" on the front. Knitted slipper boots warmed her feet. She thought Beckett would be more comfortable if Alexis dressed more "normal"; however, to keep with the spirit of the night, she had thrown on a pair of reindeer antlers that lit up when you pressed a button on one side.

Beckett let out a little laugh as Alexis reached up to press the button on her antlers.


	12. Chapter 12

Richard Castle was delightfully caught between two of the women he loved: his detective and his daughter. He could feel the love and joy brimming within him. He wanted to grab them both and pull them into the tightest hug he could imagine. He probably could get away with it, chalk it up to Christmas excitement, but he didn't want to risk it. Not yet. Instead, he let his hand fall from Beckett's back and stepped to embrace his daughter in a large smothering hug. Smiles streaming from both their faces; from Beckett's, too.


	13. Chapter 13

Detective Kate Beckett hadn't noticed Castle's hand at the small of her back until his warmth left to embrace his daughter. A slight shiver ran up her back. Maybe it was from this realization or maybe the lack of his warmth. Had anyone noticed, she'd deny either possibility.

Beckett physically felt lighter when she was at Castle's loft, as if, instead of Detective Kate Beckett, she could simply be Kate. But a different Kate than she could be at home. At home, she was the Kate who retreated within herself, who escaped into someone else's world through books, who needed a warm bath and a glass of wine to unwind, who needed things to help her accept herself—scars and all. Here, at Castle's loft, with Castle's family, and, if she were completely honest with herself, with Castle, she could be the Kate she so desperately wanted to be. She was accepted at face value for who she was—every scar included. These people knew her past, they knew her struggles, they'd been there and accepted her even when she hadn't accepted herself. They loved her. They revered her. Yet they never coddled her. She respected that. She appreciated that. She needed that. She felt safe here.

A bashful smile crept across her face and warmth welled inside of her as she witnessed this father-daughter moment. She always felt she was intruding during these moments, not because she felt they didn't want her there, but because, to her, these moments were deeply personal.

Castle released his daughter and turned back to Beckett with smiling eyes.

"Why don't you two go get comfy while I make my two best girls some hot chocolate?" he gushed as he clasped his hands together in excitement.


	14. Chapter 14

By the time Richard Castle finished making the hot chocolate, Beckett and Alexis were comfortably situated in the mound of blankets on the floor. Beckett was propped against the couch, a huge down comforter surrounding her. Alexis had secured a spot sprawled across a row of pillows. They were talking quietly together, like two little girls at a slumber party. He observed them for a moment, standing at the edge of the kitchen, two warm mugs in hand, with a look of love etched deeply across his face.

They seemed to sense his presence. Beckett's sparkling eyes darted over to him for a brief second, a luminous smile on her lips, before darting back to Alexis. His daughter's eyes then darted to him with a glint of teasing.

Ah, they must be talking about him.

Any other day, he would've come up with a quirky remark to make them laugh and push his way into the conversation, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything but stand smiling and admire them.

Oh, and give them their hot chocolate.

He entered back into reality and shuffled the remainder of the way to the couch, bending over to hand Alexis her mug, while Beckett snatched hers out of his hands. She used both hands to hold the mug, he noticed.


	15. Chapter 15

She held her mug in both hands, waiting for her fingertips to warm before pulling it up to her lips. Detective Kate Beckett didn't allow herself chocolate very often, but when she did indulge, it was always heavenly. This hot chocolate was no different. Warm. Creamy. Made especially for her.

She peered over her cup into the kitchen where Castle had retreated to serve himself a mug of the magical hot chocolate. Even though he appeared childlike in his Grinch pajamas, he seemed very composed at the moment, very comfortable. As if he didn't have to be anyone but his pure self for a fleeting moment. It was the Castle who Beckett secretly looked for each day, not the mask of the man she'd met a few years ago. He started to turn, so she shifted her gaze to the ceiling.

She hadn't spotted any mistletoe amidst the twinkling lights or the dangling snowflakes. She felt a rush of relief—relief that he'd listened to her and relief he wasn't pressuring her. Mistletoe—or the presence of—for Beckett, symbolized one more moment of her life she would have no control over. She needed control.

But, right now, she just wanted to sink back against the couch, hold her hot chocolate, and let herself relax.


	16. Chapter 16

Richard Castle snuggled—if that's an accurate word to describe a grown man finding a comfortable position—against his couch pulling a comforter onto his lap. He made sure he was far enough away from Beckett to give her space, but close enough where they could "accidentally" bump each other with subtle movements. His daughter's legs were at his side; she was still sprawled on the floor.

He had dimmed the lights before sitting down. Only the twinkling Christmas lights around the columns and the movie streaming from the projector now lit up the room. Even in the darkness, the room was magical.

The night was magical. And it had only just begun.

He would be happy to exist in this moment forever: his daughter on one side and his detective on the other. He only needed his mother there to make his family complete.


	17. Chapter 17

Martha Rodgers looked out the window as she rode down the street. She couldn't help but enjoy watching the hustle and bustle of the city outside of the cab. She could see the holiday excitement radiating from the people. They had more of a spring in their steps, she noticed, than during other seasons. Maybe it was the cold, but she liked to think it was the holidays.

Ah, yes, the holidays.

She'd noticed Richard had kept the mistletoe at the bottom of the box this afternoon when they were decorating the loft. Of course, he didn't want to push Detective Beckett. She had raised a good man, a chivalrous man. That didn't mean she couldn't push them both.

She wondered if anyone had noticed where she'd hung the mistletoe yet. She knew the three of them would be lounging on the floor entranced by one of the many Christmas movies her son and granddaughter loved. Their mugs of hot chocolate would be drained by now, and Richard had surely waged a tickle war on Alexis already. She wondered how Detective Beckett would fit in to the night.

She was sure, after they found the mistletoe, she'd know exactly where the detective fit in.


	18. Chapter 18

If anyone had taken a photograph of the three of them together, Detective Kate Beckett would've seen how, for a brief moment, she wore her heart on her sleeve. With her arms loosely wrapped around her knees pulled up under her chin, she sat in a protective position, almost as if she were guarding herself. But it was the love smiling from her eyes that bared her true self. For a brief moment, she let herself feel the warmth of the love radiating from Castle and his daughter, let herself revel in it, let herself go. But only for a brief moment.

Beckett had seen this movie many times since her childhood. Anyone with even a sliver of Christmas spirit had. Beckett, however, had not seen this movie with Castle or Alexis. She, apparently, had not seen the same version of this movie as the two of them, either.

The father-daughter duo had an almost routine worked out. Over the years, they had created alternate lines for the characters, new back-stories, and new plot twists. One of them would blurt out an off-the-wall line and the other would shoot back with an even more off-the-wall line. It was a comedic routine of sorts.

Most people would find this annoying. In any other situation, Beckett would've, too, but she was enjoying the camaraderie.

She watched the two of them from her spot against the couch. She could see the excitement bursting from each of them as they spouted lines back and forth to one another, trying to one-up the other, while still romanticizing the story plot. Their eyes shone with smug satisfaction the moment they _knew_ they'd out-witted the other.

Castle had turned his body slightly toward hers, his crinkly-eyed smile plastered across his face. She knew he was asking permission to continue the game, looking for any sign of discomfort from her. She knew the moment his smile grew wider he had seen the joy and encouragement in her eyes. He knew it was okay to continue; she knew that, just maybe, she'd throw out a few quirky lines of her own.


End file.
